Satiricus was literally scratching his head. He and the fellas had been throwing back at the Back Street Bar for the better part of the night and the words had become a bit slurred and the thinking fuzzy. With Irma following Harvey but doing most of its damage in the Caribbean, they’d been commiserating with their fellow West Indians. It had taken its toll on them!
“But thank God, it’ll soon be over,” said Hari with a loopy smile. “Let’s drink to that!”
“How yuh suh shore ‘bout da?” asked Bungi, while he signalled to the waitress to bring some more cutters. He’d become hungry.
“Don’t you remember the hurricane season nursery rhyme, we did lin Lil ABC?” asked Hari, as Satiricus and Bungi knotted their brows. “Teacher la Rose used to whip us good when we forgot.”
“Who can remember one line, get a free beer,” slurred Satiricus, hoping to buy some time and have his memory jogged.
“Me remembah somet’ing” said Bungi uncertainly. “June too soon? Da mean hurricane na come in June!”
“An who said fetching all that cane on your head made it soft!!” teased Hari. “One beer for you!”
“July, standby!” shouted Satiricus, who was happy as a kiskadee he’d saved his honour. He’d been Miss La Rose’s pet in Lil ABC!
“One for Sato!” said Hari, marking his imaginary bat like his Warriors’ hero Walton. “August – Lookout you must! Score one for me!”
“Septembah, remembah!!” shouted Bungi. “But dis year, like abee na gat fuh remembah; dem hurricane remin’ abee demself!!”
“October – It’s all over,” said Satiricus, proud that his brain was kicking into gear.” But I’m not sure this year it’ll be all over.”
“Why?” asked Hari and Bungi – while at the same time they ticked off the score on their imaginary bats.
“Miss La Rose had said the world would end when Bungi remembered the poem!” he said to laughter all around.
